Josh Harder

Mr. HARDER of California

Mr. HARDER of California. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act. Families in my district, in the California Central Valley, need prescription drugs to go down in cost now, and they need access to care for every condition, including mental health and treatment for substance use disorders. That is exactly what my amendment is going to help with. The navigators that help folks understand healthcare through the exchanges are great, but they need additional tools to make sure folks struggling with opioid addiction get the coverage that they need. My amendment gives them just that. In most communities I visit, I hear from someone who has been touched by the opioid epidemic, and I am no exception. When I was in high school, I had a friend who was in a tough family situation, so I drove him to school every day for 2 years. He was one of the best golfers I ever met, had an amazing sense of humor. But, after graduating, he developed an addiction to opiates, and about 5 years ago we lost him to an overdose. Stories like my friend's are far too common. About 130 Americans die every single day from opiate overdose. Folks with substance use disorder deserve access to care just like everyone else, and every person in this country deserves prescription drugs that they can actually afford. It is for my friend and for our loved ones all across the country who have struggled with this that I urge my colleagues to vote for this amendment. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HARDER of California. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. HARDER of California

Mr. HARDER of California. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment. My legislation would simply require the Federal Government to issue an expert analysis of the impact of junk plans on mental healthcare access. People deserve access to mental healthcare, and we don't know how many people will lose that access if these junk plans become used more widely. That is exactly what my amendment would tell us. People who are struggling with depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, or substance use disorder deserve coverage. We are talking about real people in our communities who need help, and they should get it. That is especially true because of the stigma surrounding mental health issues. If you tell your friends that you have cancer, they tell you to get help. If you tell your friends you have depression, they tell you to tough it out or go to the gym. Without access to mental healthcare, a lot of people end up self- medicating. That is why we have to make sure that they are covered with real insurance, not junk plans. These plans are a scam. I heard a horror story from a woman in Stanislaus County about her family's experience with a junk plan before the Affordable Care Act. Her daughter went off to school and got cheap, university-sponsored insurance. After a couple of years, she had a mental health issue present, but she was completely denied coverage for the treatment that she needed. Even though she paid premiums for years, she wasn't covered, and her family had to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket. Years later, they are still paying it off today, more than 10 years after her mental health episode. That is a common story because only about half of these plans cover mental healthcare, and only about one-third cover substance use disorder, and that is a huge problem in the Central Valley, especially for young people. It is in people's twenties that they start showing signs of a lot of mental health problems, and this often coincides with the development of substance use disorders. People who turn 26 have to get off their parents' insurance. They pick the cheapest thing they can find. If we don't pass this amendment, millions of people who have similar stories will be denied coverage for mental health issues when they need it most. That is a scam. That is what my amendment demands.

Mr. HARDER of California. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. HARDER of California. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment. As I stated in my previous remarks, my amendment would simply require the Federal Government to issue an expert analysis of the impact of junk plans on mental health access. People deserve access to mental healthcare, and we need to know how many people will lose that access if these junk plans become used more widely. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HARDER of California. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HARDER of California

Mr. HARDER of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to encourage the Speaker of the House to let us vote on H.R. 962, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. It is more than common sense; it is common decency legislation being put forth to end the barbaric act of infanticide. Every day, Kansans watching from back home assume this must already be law. There is no way that, in America, it is legal to murder a child who already has been born. Sadly, in some parts of this country, it isn't common sense; it isn't common decency. In some parts of the country, it isn't something inherently wrong to kill a child who was born alive. This is murder. It is appalling that it is being protected. This is murder. Madam Speaker, let us vote.

Mr. HARDER of California

Mr. HARDER of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today because it is absolutely absurd that in the year 2019, women are still paid less than men, 77 cents on the dollar compared to men, but it is even worse for women of color. Latina women make only 53 cents on the dollar. That is why I was so proud to support the Paycheck Fairness Act, which included our amendment to specifically support women of color. There are thousands of Latina women in my district who work hard day in, day out, only to be paid half what their male counterparts get. It hurts them, it hurts their families, and it hurts our Central Valley community. This is an equality issue, but it is also an economic issue. In fact, almost a quarter of the families in the Central Valley have a woman as their breadwinner. It is 2019. It is time that women, especially Latina women, are not left behind. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues in the Senate to take up this bill and make sure we are lifting up everyone in our communities.

Mr. HARDER of California

Mr. HARDER of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to wish the Assyrian community in the Central Valley and across the world a Happy New Year. One of my fondest memories growing up in Turlock was spending afternoons with my Assyrian neighbor, who was like a grandmother to me. Her name was Nana Bitpera. Every day, she would pick grape leaves in her backyard while she made rice, so my brother and I could enjoy fresh, homemade dolmas after school. She would tell me stories about the incredible contributions of the Assyrian culture to art and literature: how Assyrians built the first human cities, were the first to domesticate crops, and how they literally invented the wheel. She also told me about the centuries of persecution that Assyrians faced that caused so many to come for a new future in America. Madam Speaker, as we celebrate the year 6769, I want to tell the Assyrian community how grateful I am to be their neighbor, and may this new year bring their families joy and happiness.

Mr. HARDER of California

Mr. HARDER of California. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. HARDER of California. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. HARDER of California

Mr. HARDER of California. Mr. Speaker, this week, the administration released its proposed budget, and I am here to share what those budget cuts actually mean for the farmers in my home, California's Central Valley. Imagine you are an almond farmer in the Central Valley. Maybe your farm has been a part of the family for multiple generations. Over the past 5 years, you have seen your net farm income has dropped by half, the largest drop since the Great Depression. Then you wake up this week and hear that the administration, which promised to be in your corner, wants to cut billions of dollars from programs that help you and your family put food on tables across the country: Programs like crop insurance so if you lose your crops from flooding or from fires your farm stays afloat. Under this budget, crop insurance is cut by $26 billion; Programs like drought relief to make up for damaged properties during arid seasons. Well, under this budget drought relief is cut by $8 billion. Or imagine you live in a district like mine where water management and storage are essential. Well, under this budget, 30 percent of the Army Corps of Engineers' budget is cut, putting all those structures at risk.

Mr. HARDER of California

Mr. HARDER of California. Madam Speaker, unfortunately, my voting card did not properly register my vote, so I was counted not present. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 123.

Mr. HARDER of California

Mr. HARDER of California. Madam Chair, I thank Chair Lofgren for her leadership on this issue. Madam Chair, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support my amendment to limit the influence of lobbyists on elected officials. Here is a stat that blows me away. D.C. is home to 11,000 registered lobbyists. That is 25 lobbyists per Member of Congress. During one of my first nights in D.C., I got invited to dinner with some of my freshman colleagues. I thought it was going to be a chance to talk about the issues that I hear from families in my community: the cost of healthcare, education, maybe jobs. But imagine my surprise when the only thing these lobbyists wanted to talk about was what would benefit their clients. This happens in the city every day. Thousands of lobbyists here, in one city, creating an ecosystem of easy access where they can push their client's agenda in front of elected representatives. My amendment is simple. It says that if you are a lobbyist and you reach out to a Member of Congress, you must make clear that you are a lobbyist, you must make clear who your clients are, and you better tell us who pays you. This is common sense. Back home, I hear a common frustration that Washington doesn't listen. This problem is real and it has got to stop. My community has had enough with back-room deals. This amendment is one step in the right direction, and I urge this body to vote in favor.

Mr. HARDER of California

Mr. HARDER of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my bipartisan amendment to the Veterans' Access to Child Care Act, which I sponsored with my colleagues from New York, Antonio Delgado and Elise Stefanik. Our amendment guarantees that if our veterans suffer a mental health crisis, such as one caused by PTSD or depression, childcare for their kids is covered during the crisis. Let me tell you why this is so important to me and the veterans in our community. A few weeks ago, I visited the Stanislaus County Veterans Service Office and I spoke to multiple veterans suffering with mental health problems. A veteran in my district told me PTSD was his invisible injury. Roughly 20 percent of our veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan suffer from depression, PTSD, or traumatic brain injury. That is triple the national average, and it affects our communities in numerous ways. For example, in my district we struggle with veteran homelessness. So, today, we are doing something about it. This bipartisan amendment helps ease the pain of mental health emergencies for our veterans and makes sure their kids are taken care of. By passing this amendment, we can show our veterans, whether they are from Stanislaus County, Essex County, or Ulster County, that we can actually work together in a bipartisan manner to give them the respect and honor they have earned.

Mr. HARDER of California

Mr. HARDER of California. Madam Speaker, I had the privilege of meeting with several of my constituents in Washington, DC. Due to that meeting, I missed a vote during the vote series. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 065.

Mr. HARDER of California

Mr. HARDER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to say I am embarrassed by the past month.

Mr. HARDER

Mr. HARDER. Madam Speaker, I missed these votes because of travel delay. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 44, and YEA on Roll Call No. 45.

Mr. HARDER of California

Mr. HARDER of California. Madam Speaker, today, I rise on behalf of the communities affected by the devastating wildfires in northern California. These past few months have been a trying time for our community. Entire towns were destroyed, crops were burned, and thousands of families were left with nowhere to call home. My relatives' home was completely destroyed in the Paradise fire. In my district, we had to wear masks because of the terrible air quality. Farmers throughout our region took a huge hit with missing livestock and crops ruined by thick ash. Today, I am proud to lead a bipartisan amendment bringing $1.9 billion in relief to our farmers for crop and livestock losses during the fire. This is incredibly important to my district, and it is just the start in helping our communities rebuild. It is also a perfect example of how we can put party labels aside, actually work together, and do what we were sent here to do: help people. I know a lot of people in my district are frustrated we can't even work together to keep our government open. I am frustrated, too. Let this be an example and a sign that, out of tragic loss, we can remember what actually unites us.

Mr. HARDER of California

Mr. HARDER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind Members of the everyday faces being hurt by this government shutdown. Mr. Speaker, 21 days into this crisis, the Central Valley has had enough. I spoke to a woman from Modesto who drives 30 miles to work every morning to serve our country as a TSA agent. She goes paycheck to paycheck, supports her kids, pays her rent, healthcare, groceries. She is not getting paid right now, and her daughter may have to drop out of college because her mom can't afford her tuition. What are we doing? And it is not just Federal employees. Farmers in my district can't apply for tariff relief because the Farm Services Agency isn't open. Because HUD is closed, I have hundreds of families who won't be able to pay their rent and are worried about being evicted. This is an unnecessary crisis. The Central Valley--America--needs this to stop. I urge everyone on this floor to put politics aside, to work together, and to reopen our government.